Stamp duty

The proceeds of selling off 4G mobile phone licences should be used to "kick-start the economy" by building 100,000 affordable homes and funding a tax break for first-time buyers, shadow chancellor Ed Balls will say today.

The proportion of people planning to take their first step on the property ladder in the coming months has risen to its highest level in at least two-and-a-half years, despite the "minefield" of difficulties they face, a study suggests today.

House prices have recorded the biggest dip in nearly three years amid the "challenging" economy, Nationwide says today.

House prices have dipped further amid the "soft" market, recording declines in four months out of the last five, lender Nationwide says today.

A rush of first-time buyers trying to beat a stamp duty deadline gave the housing market a boost last month, a report says.

Property buyers who purchase homes worth over £2 million will have to pay a significantly higher rate of stamp duty.

Pensioners were the big losers from today's Budget, with the news 4.4 million will pay more tax from April 2013, at an average loss of £83 each per year. This has been dubbed the new 'Granny Tax'.

The rush by first-time buyers to beat a stamp duty holiday deadline has triggered a short-term dip in rents, a lettings network said today.

House sales fell last year to one of the lowest totals recorded, figures from HM Revenue and Customs showed this week.

Lenders and estate agents say the Government could have helped first-time buyers by extending their stamp duty 'holiday' in yesterday's Autumn Budget Statement.